4910-06-P
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION
Federal Railroad Administration
Notice of Availability of an Environmental Assessment for the Proposed Hudson
Yards Concrete Casing Project in New York, New York
AGENCY: Federal Railroad Administration (FRA), United States Department of
Transportation (USDOT)
ACTION: Notice of Availability of Environmental Assessment for the Hudson Yards
Concrete Casing Construction
SUMMARY: This notice advises the public that the National Railroad Passenger
Corporation (Amtrak) has prepared an Environmental Assessment (EA) in coordination
with Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) for the construction of an underground
concrete casing to preserve a right-of-way (ROW) (the proposed Project) for the future
expansion of rail service between New Jersey and New York and to support Amtrak’s
efforts to improve the resiliency of the rail system in the Northeast Corridor (NEC) to
address future disasters. Amtrak anticipates constructing the proposed Project using
Federal funding and, as the proposed Project sponsor, would design and construct the
underground concrete casing. In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act
of 1969, the Council on Environmental Quality regulations to implement NEPA, the
FRA’s “Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts”, the EA examines the
potential environmental impacts of constructing an underground concrete casing in the

Hudson Yards rail yard in New York. NY (Hudson Yards).


FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Please submit written comments on
the EA to Michelle W. Fishburne, USDOT, Federal Railroad Administration, Office of
Railroad Policy and Development, 1200 New Jersey Avenue SE, W36-428, Washington,
DC 20590 or via email at michelle. fishburne@dot.gov

DATES: Written comments on the EA will be accepted on or before April 29, 2013.
ADDRESS: The EA is available for review at the FRA Office of Railroad Policy and
Development at the address listed above and locally at the New York Public Library,
Fifth Avenue at 42nd Street, New York, NY 10018-2788; Phone (212) 275-6975. The EA

is also available for review on the FRA website at htip:y/Avww.tra.dot.gov/Page/P0214 .

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Amtrak proposes to construct an underground concrete casing to preserve a ROW
underneath Hudson Yards for the future expansion of rail service between New Jersey
and New York and to support Amtrak’s efforts to improve the resiliency of the rail
system to address future disasters in the NEC.

Construction of the Project is proposed at this time because a real estate
development corporation (Developer), through an agreement with the Metropolitan
Transportation Authority (MTA) and the Long Island Railroad (LIRR), has begun
constructing a development in the area above Hudson Yards (referred to as the Overbuild
Project). The Developer has all necessary local and state approvals for the Overbuild
Project and started construction in the southern portion of Hudson Yards, south of the
proposed Project site, in December 2012. Amtrak proposes to construct the underground
concrete casing in conjunction with the Overbuild Project in order to preserve an

underground ROW as a viable location for a future tunnel into New York's Penn Station.


If the Developer builds the immense foundations and platform for the Overbuild Project,
the ROW undemeath the Overbuild Project would be permanently lost as an alignment
for a new tunnel entering Penn Station from the west.

In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act. 42 U.S.C. § 4321 er
sey., (NEPA), the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) regulations (40 CFR parts
1500-1508), and FRA’s “Procedures for Considering Environmental Impacts,” 64 FR
28545 (May 26, 1999) and 78 FR 2713 (Jan. 14, 2013), (FRA’s Environmental
Procedures), Amtrak prepared the EA in coordination with FRA, MTA and LIRR and
analyzed the potential environmental impacts of the two alternatives for the proposed
Project: “No Action” and “Construct a Concrete Casing.”

FRA is publishing this notice to solicit public comments prior to making a final
NEPA determination on the proposed Project. The review period for the EA shall extend
to May 1, 2013. FRA will review the comments in accordance with NEPA, CEQ
regulations, and FRA’s Environmental Procedures. If FRA determines the proposed
Project will not have any foreseeable significant environmental impacts, FRA will issue a
Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) describing the agency's decision and the basis
for it. Any FONS] issued by FRA will be consistent with 40 CFR 1508.13 and section 11

of FRA’s Environmental Procedures (64 FR at 28551).

Issued in Washington, DC, on alas 3
Cor FU QL

Corey Hill
Director, Office of Passenger and Freight Programs